Playing surface for handball and racquetball courts

Claim 1

In a court for handball or racquetball or the like, where a playing surface is presented by a panel structure that includes a relatively thick, base sandwich panel member having a foam core interposed between opposed sheets for imparting the desired bounce to a ball played off the panel structure, said base panel member including a plurality of panel elements thereof joined in edge-to-edge relationship, the improvement in said panel structure comprising: a thin finish panel member on said base member in direct surface contact therewith, said finish member including a layer of impact-resistant material faced with a smooth, hard, impact-resistant skin bonded to said layer and presenting an outer playing surface characterized by durability and hardness, said finish member further including a plurality of panel sections thereof presenting respective portions of said playing surface; and means for joining said panel sections, during on-site construction of the composite panel structure, in edge-to-edge relationship with the respective surface portions thereof in planar alignment, the lines of joinder of the elements of a planar expanse of said base member being substantially out of alignment with the lines of joinder of the sections of the finish member thereon, whereby the resultant, comparatively inexpensive playing surface is resistant to mars and dents and provides a consistently true bounce for the playing ball.